Max Verstappen has joked that his former team-mate Daniel Ricciardo is "a smart man" for picking him for his dream Le Mans line-up. In fact, he revealed that the pair of them had already discussed the possibility of it.
In a recent interview with the Beyond the Grid podcast, the Australian talked about his time at Red Bull and his exit from Formula 1. While he discussed what was next for him, he said that a Le Mans entry could be on the list. When asked who he'd team up with, Max Verstappen was the first name on his list. Sebastian Vettel was also an option, making something he called a "nice little Red Bull reunion" of sorts.
"He's a smart man to choose me in the car," Verstappen joked. "But we have to see. It just depends on a lot of things."
The four-time world champion has made no secret of his interest in endurance racing with him recently competing at Portimao, where he and his team finished ninth. He did, however, stress that he would only take on Le Mans with full preparation.
"Also for me, if I want to do it, I want to do it proper with really good prep. And at the moment I cannot do that. I don't have the time - the free time to dedicate to a Le Mans project with all the other things that I'm also doing outside of Formula 1."

#time #bull #smart #list

Sebastian Vettel drove Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F2002 at Monza before the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, but the emotional weight of such a thing became much larger than the driving itself. Following his performance of donuts near the second Variante, Vettel admitted that the moment had made him feel a great deal of longing for his old friend.
Ferrari built the weekend around Schumacher's legacy. It had been 30 years since he joined Ferrari in 1996 with a special Monza livery, racewear details inspired by the seven-time champion, and seven stars representing his ****** les. The showcase featured several of Schumacher's iconic cars, including the 1996 F310, the 2002 F2002, and the 2006 248 F1.
The F2002 was not merely an old Ferrari brought out for a ceremonial lap. Ferrari's 2002 campaign produced 15 victories, 10 pole positions, and 27 podium finishes, while Schumacher secured that year's championship with 144 points. He won five ****** les with Ferrari and took five Italian Grand Prix victories for the team, in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, and 2006.
Rubens Barrichello, Schumacher's teammate in 2002, drove the F2002 on Saturday. Vettel took over the tribute on Sunday, reconnecting with the Ferrari team and the tifosi he raced for from 2015 through 2020. During his time with Ferrari, Vettel secured 14 race victories and achieved second place in the championship standings in both 2017 and 2018.
Vettel won his first Formula 1 race at the circuit for Toro Rosso in 2008. The four-time world champion, who concluded his career with a total of 53 wins, also shared the track with Schumacher during his return to Mercedes from 2010 to 2012. Schumacher had been an early hero, then later a friend who encouraged Vettel's career.

#schumacher #time #monza #grand

Four-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel experienced an emotional moment ahead of the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday when he drove Michael Schumacher's Ferrari car for a lap around the Monza circuit.
Ferrari are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Schumacher's victory at the iconic track in the 1996 season, which was his first one with the Scuderia.
Vettel drove the F2002, which is widely regarded as one of the most successful F1 car designs of all time. Schumacher drove it to a then to a record-equalling fifth drivers' world ******* le in 2002.
"Today is a special day. I just got out of the car, I had the honour of driving Michael's car around the track. It was very emotional for me. It brings back so many childhood memories, the whole experience," Vettel told broadcaster Sky.
"I got to sit in that car and drive it. It felt so close, I could almost feel and hear him. And all of this in front of the packed grandstands, in front of the Tifosi. So many thoughts are running through my head. The fans and I all miss him very much."

#vettel #Ferrari #track #many

Former Formula 1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer believes Max Verstappen is continuing to improve and has still not reached his peak performance.
During an episode of the High Performance Racing podcast alongside host Jake Humphrey and former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley, Szafnauer discussed the standout drivers he has encountered during his career in the paddock.
When Humphrey prompted the panel to name the greatest drivers they had worked alongside and competed against, Szafnauer named four-time champion Sebastian Vettel as the best driver he had worked with before turning his attention to the fiercest rivals he had faced while on the pitwall.
"Greatest I worked with, Vettel. Greatest I went up against, tough either Michael [Schumacher] or Lewis [Hamilton]," Szafnauer explained.
When asked why he didn't consider four-time champion Verstappen, he added: "Well, I don't think Max is at his peak yet. I think he's going to get better."

#greatest #verstappen #humphrey

Formula 1 Is Gunning for a Return to India After a 13-Year Hiatus

After a 13-year dry spell, the Indian government is actively fighting for F1’s return to the Buddh International Circuit.
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has confirmed the government is tackling the very issues that drove the sport away after the 2013 season.
The original Indian Grand Prix, which ran from 2011 to 2013, was a fan favorite, with Sebastian Vettel winning all three races. However, the event was ruined by financial and bureaucratic issues, primarily a dispute over whether F1 should be taxed as entertainm